Don’t let it steal the show
However beautiful and finely detailed your new panelling is, it should never be the focal point of a room, as Christian explains, ‘It is important to remember that panelling is always an accent, a background layer. It’s not the star of a room, and it certainly isn’t where you call it a day once installed. A room needs more than panelling, so whichever style you choose, remember that it is only the back-up dancer, not the headline act.’
Do consider panelling your kitchen or bathroom
‘New panelling can work very well in kitchens and bathrooms especially,’ says Max, explaining that it can be an effective way to ensure these spaces feel sympathetic rather than shiny and new. It’s a practical choice, too, especially if you paint them in a wipeable eggshell or gloss, or invest in special moisture-resistant panels for your bathroom.
‘I often use it in a bathroom,’ says Anna Haines, referring specifically to tongue and groove. ‘The interlocking panels create a very stable surface on your bathroom wall so it is particularly robust. I also love it in utility and boot rooms, as it offers up a protective layer against the scuffs and scrapes in a hard-working space.’
‘It’s a bead-and-butt design with a rounded cornice to be sympathetic to the original era of the dwelling.’
Christopher HorwoodDon’t overdo the tongue and groove
Though it can be an excellent option for kitchens and bathrooms, try not to get carried away with tongue and groove. ‘It is wonderful, but gosh is it over done,’ says Brandon. ‘I’ve put a moratorium on its use in our studio. The problem is, though, that it’s easy, cheap, durable and good looking, and there aren’t a great many alternatives that come close to offering that. I love more contemporary clean flat panels in a room, mainly because I love the look and colouration of timber without the traditional feel.’
Christian agrees that ‘in a modern space, even tongue and groove can feel a little trad. Also, I think that it has been rather overused. Not to offend, but it is a lazy man’s panelling, and I mean that in the sense that people just slap it on any surface without any real consideration of scale, volume or the vast number of other, easy-to-achieve options.’ Pandora Taylor even cautions against using it in bathrooms for fear of falling victim to trend fatigue. ‘It has been used a lot over the past five years, and while it’s a great, inexpensive bathroom solution, I think it has had its time.’